The present invention pertains to wireless devices, particularly to wireless security devices.
These days many people carry electronic devices that have some manner of wireless communication capabilities such as Wi-Fi®, BLUETOOTH®, cellular (such as GSM or CDMA), or other radio frequency (RF) connectivity. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of Wi-Fi Alliance, a California Corporation, having an address of 10900-B Stonelake Boulevard, Suite 126 Austin, Tex. 78759. Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc., a Delaware Corporation having an address of 5209 Lake Washington Boulevard, Suite 350, Kirkland, Wash. 98033. This connectivity is often found in electronic devices such as phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, or wearable technology such as fitness trackers or smart watches and automobiles. Additionally, increased popularity of autonomous vehicles, drones, robotics and other self-propelled craft is generating increased interest to monitor for their presence. These craft often employ wireless communications as part of their normal operation.
Electronic wireless devices with wireless communication capabilities frequently transmit wireless signals containing elements that uniquely identify the particular device. For example, Wi-Fi®, BLUETOOTH® radios in a device transmit a Media Access Control (MAC) number (often called the radio's address) that is specific to the particular electronic wireless device (e.g., each iPhone, for instance, has a unique Wi-Fi® MAC address that no other wireless device uses). These wireless signals allow for specific identification of wireless devices and can be passively observed and recorded. Other communications modalities such as cellular phones use other unique device identifiers that can also be passively observed and recorded.